Jack White Has Not Blacklisted University of Oklahoma Despite Claims

Jack White was not at all pleased when certain information contained in a rider to his contract was released by The Oklahoma Daily, but he states that he never said he would blacklist the University of Oklahoma, where he played a Groundhog Day concert on February 2, because of the incident, despite claims to the contrary. White’s management issued a statement later that the rider in the contract was not meant for White alone, but also for the 30 people who tour with him that need to be fed, “plus the local venue staff.”

Jack White played the concert on Monday on the campus of University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, at the McCasland Field House. He did make it clear that he was not at all a happy camper that The Oklahoma Daily printed in the newspaper his entire contract, including mentioning the $80,000 he was getting paid. The newspaper stated that it had the right to print the information under the Freedom of Information Act.

That is correct, but, as Jack White said during the concert, printing it or typing it out “doesn’t make it right.” The whole story behind the contract and the requests mentioned in the rider were not included, just the bare-bones facts. Facts, alone, often do not present the entire picture, as in this particular case.

Jack White’s rider does include things just for himself, like a “New York strip steak,” and “steamed vegetables,” to eat after concerts he performs. For whatever reason, White also does not like to see any bananas in the venues where he performs, and that is also mentioned in the rider. But, the guacamole sauce recipe mentioned was for everybody who toured with him and helped make the concert go smoothly.

As the statement that was released by the singer’s management, Monotone Inc., states, the University of Oklahoma is one of his “favorite tour stops.” The statement added that Jack White and his management team did not “say that we would never play there again, that is untrue.”

The statement also said that Jack White is not responsible for writing the rider. The guacamole is for “the folks who work hard to put on the show.”

While Jack White and his management team have not blacklisted the University of Oklahoma, it is a possibility that the William Morris Entertainment agency will stick to a ban not to allow any artists they represent to perform at the venue because of what The Oklahoma Daily printed. The agency likely does not want a repeat of what happened with Jack White, of somebody else that they represent having their contracts published and made fun of and mocked in the newspaper or by any other media source. The agency has stated that the ban will remain until the newspaper modifies its policy “not to disseminate private information.”

Monotone Inc. did refer to the reporting of the financial terms of the contract and the publication of the private rider information as being “Unprofessional, and very unwelcoming.” However, White’s management company said that the band had a good time playing at the concert, as did Jack White, despite the newspaper’s publication of the “private information.” His management company called the audience “incredible,” and stated that “the band were all completely thrilled with the performance and the crowd.”

As to the suggestions that Jack White said he would blacklist the University of Oklahoma, however, both the singer and his management team have said that just was not accurate. The singer reportedly looks forward to playing there again. There has been no word yet if the William Morris Entertainment agency has revised their viewpoint on not allowing the musical acts they represent to perform at the University of Oklahoma.